Draft reducing air distributor for



June 19; 1945. R ARRY R 2,378,822

DRAFT REDUCING AIR DISTRIBUTOR FOR BOATS Filed March 25, 1943 A /12am 2 KIB/Z/SRX upon the latter,

order.

Patented June 19, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Robert J. Barry, Young, Saskatchewan, Canada Application March 25,1943, Serial No. 480,477 In Canada April 4, 1942 1 Claim.

My invention consists of a draft reducing air distributor for attachment to the bows of boats, to lessen, or reduce the water draft or drag against the hull of the boat by mixing the water With air.

A further object of my invention is to provide a draft reducing air boats, and more particularly to the bows thereof by the use of which airwill be caused to mix with the water against the sides of the boat and which is responsible for the skin-frictionaldragthereby increasing the speed of the boat and reducing the fuel consumption thereof.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described by the use of which barnacle formation will be reduced.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described by the use of which oil may be distributed against the hull Or sides of the boat in very rough weather to calm the surrounding sea.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character and purpose described which is eminently simple in construction, can be readily attached to any existing boat, is inexpensive, structural in character so that it cannot become out of order, and will, when installed,

function satisfactorily as long as the boat lasts since there are With the above more important objects in view and such other minor objects as may appear as the specification proceeds, my invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all as hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of my draft reducing air distributor in situ, attached to the bow of a boat. Figure 2 is a plan view of my air distributor s the same would be seen if viewed from the horizontal plane of the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan section of my draft reducing air distributor on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective detail of the corrugated passageways or channels which I employ upon either side of the bows of boats equipped with my invention and through which the air stream slips to mix with the water;

In the drawing like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts inthe different figulGS.

distributor for attachment to My draft reducing air duct I is designed for attachment to the bow 2 of a boat, the same projecting ahead of the bow and being attached upon either side of the bow as I have clearly in-. dicated in the accompanying Figure 4. It will be seen that my duct extends for a substantial portion of the length of the bow both above and below the water line 3. i

The duct terminates at the upper end thereof in an enlarged, forwardly projecting air intake port .or mouth 4 the edge 5 of which inclines forwardly and downwardly.

The duct will preferably diminish in cross sectional area as itproceeds'downwardly and as is indicated by Figures 3 and 4 and below the water line, I provide a plurality of spaced apertures upon the trailing sides of the duct, orv in other a charged through the channels 6 as indicated by no moving parts toget out of w limitations placed thereon as the arrows 8 against the forepart of the hull thus reducing skin-friction.

It will be obvious that should it be desired to pump oil onto the surface of a particularly rough sea, my contrivance may be used to considerable advantage. In such a case, an oil line would be dropped over the side of the vessel into the mouth of my duct so that the oil would discharge through the channels 6 and rise to the surface.

Since many modifications can be made in the invention herein described andsince the accompanying drawing has been prepared only to illustrate the relative arrangement. and interaction of parts and not with regard to accuracy of dimensions for manufacturing purposes which in view of this disclosure I consider to entail merely mechanical skill together with the skill of the mechanical draftsman, and since many apparently Widely different embodiments of this invention may be made within the scope of the accompanying claimwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the same it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrativ only and not in a limiting sense and I desire only such justice dictates. What I claim as my invention is:

A draft reducing air distributor for attachment bow by the displaced water to the bow of a boat, comprising in combination, an air duct secured to said bow and projecting forwardly thereof, said duct extending for a substantial proportion of the length of said. bow, above and below the water line, said duct terminating at the upper end thereof in an enlarged, forwardly projecting and downwardly inclining air intake port or mouth, and gradually diminishing in horizontal cross-section toward the lower end thereof, said duct being provided below 10 I the water line with a plurality of spaced apertures upon the length thereof and upon either side of the bow, and a plurality of horizontal, spaced, superposed and substantially semi-cylindrical, open-ended channels bounded on one side by said bow, and communicating with said duct via said apertures to permit of the discharge of air into thewater below the water line.

iioBEnT Jl BARRY. 

